Watson mixes relaxed with serious in a bid to topple Murray
ANDY may be at home licking his wounds but there is still the chance of Wimbledon glory in the Murray household.
Jamie and his new mixed doubles partner Martina Hingis have reached today’s final without dropping a set and, with defending champions Heather Watson and Henri Kontinen across the net, Britain is guaranteed a Wimbledon triumph. It is the first mixed final since 1934 to feature a British player in both teams.
Watson has thrived alongside the jovial Finn, but she cut a lonely figure yesterday morning as she practised at 11am. Where was Kontinen? ‘He needed a lie-in,’ said the 25-year-old Channel Islander after an hour’s hitting at the All England Club.
‘He’s had a tough couple of days with his men’s doubles and carrying me in the mixed!
‘We practised together yesterday and today I wanted to practise early and he wanted a lie-in.’
The arrangement is typical of this relaxed partnership. Watson and Kontinen have a whale of a time on court and that has translated into results, with the British No2 in particular in terrific form.
If only Watson could bottle this happy-go-lucky approach and take it into her singles career, where she can be vulnerable to nerves.
‘Singles is a lot more serious,’ she said. ‘You’re out there on your own, you have nobody to keep you upbeat.’
Watson’s ranking, which had dipped to 126 at the start of the grass court season, will rise to around 79 on Monday. After the final, she will take a well-earned week off. ‘My dad is coming over for the final. He hasn’t been to see me play in a long time,’ she said.
‘I’m really excited about it and we’re seeing Matilda on Tuesday. We’ve seen The Lion King, Les Mis, all the big ones — but Matilda is one we haven’t seen.’
But before the curtain goes up, Watson will take to the Centre Court stage today against the No1 seeds.
Murray was not even planning to play the mixed doubles at Wimbledon until 17-time doubles Grand Slam winner Hingis came calling.
The partnership has been an instant success, as you would expect from two natural doubles players.
On today’s opponents, 31-year-old Murray said: ‘Kontinen is difficult to play because he’s just hitting everything as hard as he can so it’s not like there’s any rhythm.
‘And Heather’s a good doubles player, she has got good feel, timing and good awareness of what’s going on. It’s a tough match but it is going to be a tough match for them, too.’